Mail-box attachment.



T. M. GAUGHAN.

MAIL BOX ATTAGHMENT.

APPLICATION IILIID JUNE 20, 1912.

71,069,246, Patented Aug.5,1913.

ThOIYLQSMG'AUG'H W i2 INVENTOR A a 5 I ,C 16/ hLSAliorney THOMAS M.GAUG-HAN, OF EARLETON, KANSAS.

MAIL-BOX ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5,1913.

Application filed June 20, 1912. Serial No. 704,794.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. GAUGHAN, citizen of the United States,residing at Earleton, inthe county of Neosho and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Box Attachments,'ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mail box attachments which are intended to beused in connection with mail boxes along rural routes, so that theperson owning the mail box may place money in the box, and the mailcarrier may easily remove the coin and place stamps or any other mailmatter desired in the receptacle in place of the coin.

The principal object of this invention is to provide the receptacle withthe improved type of lever connection with the improved type of bottom,so that the bottom of the receptacle may be very easily swung upon itspivot, thus causing the coin to drop directly in the mail carriers hand.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view through the attachment. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view ofthe attachment showing the connection with the side of the mail box.Fig. i is a perspective view of the band which surrounds the receptacle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, itwill be seen that thisinvention comprises a receptacle ]0 which is preferably cup shaped andis open at both ends. This receptacle may be formed of any materialdesired, such as metal,.and is mounted within the mail box so as to beprotected from the weather, and is connected with one of the side wallsso as to be out of the way.

A bracket connects the receptacle to the side wall of the mail box, thebracket being formed from a single strip of metal such as strap iron,the strip of metal being bent around the receptacle and having its endportions provided with slits leading from the opposite sides, so thatthe strip may be crossed and thus held around the receptacle with itsend portions 11 extending to each side. These end portions 11 areprovided with openings so that securing bolts 12 may be passed throughthe side wall 13 of the mail box and through the ends of the strip, thussecurely connecting the receptacle with the side of the mail box. Thisreceptacle is provided with a pivotally mounted bottom comprising thedisk 14: which is rigidly mounted upon the pivot pin 15 having its endportions extending through openings formed in opposite sides of thereceptacle. The bottom is secured to the pin by any suitable means suchfor instance as suitable clips. A spring has its central portion 16coiled about the pin 15, and has its arms 17 extending in "oppositedirections with one of the arms bearing against the bottom of the disk.The remaining one passes through an opening formed in the side of thereceptacle bent as shown at 18 to prevent its removal. It will thus beseen that when the bottom of the receptacle is moved upon its pivot pin,the spring will return it to its normal position when the disk isreleased.

An operating lever is connected with the disk 14 and is substantiallyS-shaped, with its upper end 19 secured to the disk 14: by means of therivet 20, and its lower end portion 21 broadened and curved as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that when placing the hand beneath thereceptacle, the fingers will engage the broad lower portion of thelever, thus rocking the disk 1 L upon its pivot point and permitting thecoin within the receptacle to drop into the hand. It should be notedthat since the lower portion of this lever is made very broad, thatthere is no danger of the fingers slipping from the lever before thedisk has been rocked to an open posit-ion. It should also be noted thatwith the construction shown, the coin may be removed from the receptaclewithout it being necessary to remove the gloves from the mail carriershands, thus making it more convenient for the mail carrier.

When using this device, the receptacle is mounted upon the side of themail box within the box, and since the cover of the box is closed andlocked, the receptacle is protected from the weather and unauthorizedpersons are prevented from removing coin or stamps from the receptacle.If the owner of the mail box wishes stamps, he places the requiredamount of money in the receptacle, together with a note telling how manystamps he wants, and when the mail carrier arrives, he places his handbeneath the receptacle and upon pressing upon the lever, the coin andnote will fall into his the desired amount of stamps in the receptacleand then re-lock the mail box, so that there will be no danger of thestamps being removed before the owner collects them.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a receptacle whichwill be very convenient to use since the owner of the mail box does nothave to watch for the mail carriers arrival, and the mail carrier doesnot have to remove his gloves in order to take the coins from thereceptacle, since it is only necessary to press the lever and the coinswill fall, into his hands.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is l. A deviceof the character described, comprising a receptacle, a strip carriedabout said receptacle and having its end portions interlocked andextending in opposite directions, securing means passing through theends of said strip whereby said strip may be connected with a support, apivot pin mounted in the bottom of said receptacle, a disk mounted uponsaid pivot pin, a spring coiled about the central portion of said pinand having its arms ex" tending in opposite directions, one of said armsof said spring engaging said disk, and the other arm passing through thewall of said receptacle, whereby said disk will be normally held in aposition to close the bottom of said. receptacle, and a substantiallyS-shaped operating lever having its upper end secured to the bottom ofsaid disk, and

its lower end portion formed into an enlarged curve, and flattened.

2. A container of the character described, comprising a receptacle, astrip wound about. said receptacle and having its end portionsinterlocked and extending in opposite directions, securing means passingthrough the end portions of said strip, a disk pivotally mounted in thebottom of said receptacle, resilient means normally holding said disk ina closed position, and a lever connected with said disk for moving saiddisk from a closed to an open position.

3. A container of the character described, comprising a receptacle,attaching means carried by said receptacle, a disk pivotally mounted inthe bottom of said receptacle, resilient means for holding said disk ina closed position, and an operating lever carried by said disk, saidlever being substantially S-shaped and having its upper portion securedto said disk, and its lower portion formed into an enlarged curve, andflattened to form a relatively broad lower portion for said lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

THOMAS M. GAUGHAN.

Witnesses Gr. W. RILEY, O. E. MARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, 1). G.

